BOL Chapters 6-7
My next two days were busy ones, while Zophiel thought I was on bed-rest Raphael sent him updates on my condition, telling him I was slowly recovering my strength. Uriel didn't waste any time at all, almost immediately pulling me away to teach me as he said after seeing what little skill I Didn't have; how to swing the sword without cleaving myself in two instead of my target. By time he was done, I had sufficient skill that I could at least do basic defense and spot weaknesses in my enemy. Supper on the first night was a warm experience. Japhet took his leave, saying he couldn't dine at the same table as the King and left me to the mostly awkward silence that was only broken by Uriels war stories. The man seemed to take great joy in telling stories about heroic Arkn warriors defeating Dekn hoards. He was animated, brandishing his knife as if it was a sword. Raphael sat and listened, adding bits in here and there and even sometimes telling his own, darker stories. Raziel though, seemed to recluse himself further down, picking at his food idly, looking distant and mostly repelled from the whole conversation. It was late, and the meal was long done, the servants had already came and cleaned around the now loud Arkn. Uriel and Raphael sat next to each other now, arguing what points of a recounted battle were true or false. I excused myself, bowing slightly even though they would never see me and headed out to find the room I had woken up in. The torches on the walls were blazing in their holders as I walked the quiet, empty stone halls, turning a corner I found a windowed hall, massive paneled windows let in the moonlight from the full moon. I looked out as I walked past it all to find the garden, perfectly maintained and in full bloom. It took my breath away when I saw Raziel. He was sitting cross-legged on a flat slab of rough stone...floating, his wings outstretched in the moonlight. I walked out of the windowed doors and into the garden, staring at the Arkn. He was perfectly peaceful and majestic in the light, a great winged shadow cast over everything behind him. I slowly walked around him, being careful not to make a noise and rouse him, as I stepped around him he suddenly opened his eyes. “You ring of bells when you move.” He said, making me jump. “I'm sorry I disturbed you...” I bowed, backing away from him. “Its fine, I knew you would find me. Your not one for talks of war and death, you prefer the pursuit of knowledge, something I can provide... if your willing to learn.” I didn't know what to say to him, he was intimidating, yet beautiful. His wings flapped in a painfully slow motion that didn't even stir the air, didn't make a sound. “Well?” He asked, looking me in the eye. “Yes, I'll learn...” I hoped I didn't sound afraid, but the answer satisfied him. With a mighty flap, he righted himself and touched down on the stone slab, his boot making a click against the stone, he held his hand out to me, which I took and he pulled me up onto the stone. “Now, sit on this.” He gestures to the stone, a symbol was carved into its surface. I sat down, just as he had. With a flap, he jumped gracefully to the ground. “Spread your wings, put them back” He instructed. I did as told and felt them brush against a tree. He eyed them for a moment, checking to see if anything was in the way. “You have the largest wings I've ever seen on a Arkn.” He said quietly. “You should consider clipping, it should make it easier for you to maneuver, but then again, with your size it might make you unable to fly.” I looked away from him, and he continued. “ First, relax. Get comfortable, your going to be here for awhile.” It wasn't long before he had me deep in meditation. What little noise of the rest of the ring was drowned out by my own silence. The only sound that came to me was the occasional tinkling of my own wings. Since my induction, it was a normal sound they now made. My every move created the sound of bells. “Now.” Raziel said. “I want you to take all your focus, and put it into the symbol beneath you, feel that symbol, make it a part of your being, let your energy flow between you and that symbol. Let it connect you to the world, to the universe, let it bring you to your center again.” Soon, he took my hand, pressing something to it, he drew something on my palm. “Lets start you off safe and easy. What I just drew on you is another symbol. One that cooperates with the one your on, its a sigil of healing.” the sound of metal, like a weapon being drawn cut into my awareness, but I was too deep under. I had no control of myself, It felt as if I wasn't in my body anymore. He hissed in pain before taking my hand in his own, pressing the symbol he had drawn on me against what felt like a heavily bleeding cut on his hand. The result was instant and he gasped. It was so simple, like connecting two points of a circuit. The power rushed through me, welling in my chest before surging to my hand and into Raziel, I felt the wound on his hand close and heal. “Its as I thought. You have a affinity for magic. You didn't use light magic, it was simply your own power, making a connection and harnessing the energy it found there. Your own, natural power, is so strong that it gathers and concentrates energy naturally. This concentrated energy forms your powers of light.” I could hear him, but couldn't respond as he talked, I couldn't react when he took my other hand, drawing something different on it. “Lets see how fire works for you” Not long later, a warmth had gathered in my hand. “Yes, perfect. Once your power finds a outlet, it changes from light to whatever you put it into.” He snaps his fingers and the deep trace that was holding me shattered, leaving me unable to hold myself up as I opened my eyes and coughed, feeling air rush into my lungs. Raziel stepped in and caught me before I struggled off the slab, laying me on it. “Rest for a moment, your not completely back yet.” I didnt bother wondering what he meant as he pulled out a bottle and held my head up, holding it to my mouth. “Drink this, you'll recover faster.” The instant the liquor went down, I rolled over coughing. But just as Raziel had said, my fatigue rapidly faded and was replaced with a feeling of determination. “Raphael's special formula. Wars have been won because of this, even for me.... it was sometimes the only thing that kept me from giving up and letting myself die.” “What happened....” I choked out, throat still burning from the elixir. “I can see why Uriel has a eye on you.” He said, casting away the question. “You were never meant for the life of a clergy.” He reached into his pocket, pulling out a charm and handing it to me. It was the symbol on the slab, carved into a stone and made into a pendant. “Take this, and remember what I've taught you tonight. Ill find you and teach you more. In the meantime, practice.” I looked at it closely, studying it for a moment. “But what about my studi-” I looked up and he was gone. Feeling fine, I stood up. The Arkn was nowhere to be seen. I sighed, putting on the pendant and going back inside, eventually finding my room and collapsing in the bed, despite the draft I fell asleep almost instantly. I was woken late the next morning by Raphael, who eyed me as he sat on a backwards chair facing my bed. “So, did you and... Raziel have fun last night?” He used his staff to examine my hands. “Fire... and Healing?..interesting. Its not everyday Raziel takes an interest in someone, much less takes the time to teach them anything.” I couldn't stop the groan that came from me, sitting up I was met with a flask. “Uriel is off doing business. Hes left your care in my hands for today and I'd like to have you alert for it.” he shook the flask to emphasize his point. I didn't want to upset him, he didn't look in the mood to be defied. So I took it, holding it and hoping he would leave the room and I could get by without drinking his elixir. He dashed my hope right then. “Well? Drink, we haven't all day. This is your last day in our custody and I have my orders to educate you.” “OK...” I opened the flask, pretending to take a sip of it to appease him but he saw right through me. “What are you? A fledgling? Drink it like the Arkn you are, or are you actually trying to insult me?” He talked calmly, though I could tell he was becoming very agitated. I held my breath, turning up the flask and letting large amount of it pour down my throat. I understood the significance of it, but I genuinely didn't like it. The taste was strange and it burned as if I had drank the fires of the sun, right down to my core. “Ready?” He asked standing by the door with his hand on his staff. My heart pounded as I stood. I felt so strong, but my body was swimming with heat and I just wanted to lay down again. “Y-yeah......” I already felt like I was on fire, but I was afraid to tell him. I felt like I had already made him mad at me already, so I followed him out into the halls. Raphael was trying to tell me something on what I supposed to be the origins and creation of the Golden City... My vision was swimming and I felt like I was floating. I impulsively flapped my wings, creating a wind that whipped Raphael's cloak he wore over his glassy black and emerald hued armor. I shouldn't be floating, I had to flap to stay afloat.... Raphael was glowing a steady green from my now turning vision. I knew I was staring, he wouldnt mind, would he? The golden roof of the castle reflected the sun making the world gold mixed with Raphael's green, now studded with brilliant emerald stars, I reached out to touch the ring of them around his head. “Pay attention!” He looked angry now. Swatting my hand away. “I....am.. but your so bright and your crowned in stars.” I hadn't known at the time how absurd it was, and I genuinely didn't know at the time why he reacted the way he did. Between blinks his voice grew louder and louder, every time I blinked, something new was happening. He seemed to be walking behind me. He was yelling something and the stars multiplied as he moved, all of them growing brighter. The world slowed down as he brandished his staff. “Raphael... what are you doing?” He responded with a yell before coming twords me green magic flaming on the tip of his staff. It clicked then, my less then rational brain working it out. He was attacking me. I was now in trouble. Raphael was attacking me and I didn't have any way of defending myself. In some foggy corner of my mind, I remembered I had markings on my hands, and one to use them on my neck. I focused on them, the result was instant, power welled in my chest somewhere between my heart and lungs, it flowed exactly where I wanted it to, my palm erupting a sparking fire. Raphael stopped, looking me in the eye. Though I couldn't see him, I could see something else...someone else... I stared so long I hadn't noticed the now out of control torrent of fire in my hand growing massive and becoming a writhing mass of flames that I threw to the ground. The instant the fireball hit the ground it rocketed up as a pillar of flames. All I could rationalize was the smell of something burning before the inferno formed arms, then a pair of massive horns, I tried to scream as it sprouted a massive pair of flaming wings, but no sound came out. I screamed for Uriel, for Raphael and Raziel screamed that a Dekn was in the garden, at least what I knew of as a Dekn. Screamed for anyone who could hear. For Zophiel, and Japhet, for the gods. But nobody came and all I could feel was pure agony as I collapsed, not against the ground, but into someones arms. Emerald flames enveloped my vision and the pain began to ebb away, but I still screamed in agony, it felt as if my wings had been ripped off. All I heard was a shout before darkness pulled me under. I don't know how long I was out, but in the darkness I became aware of sounds, voices; “We're going to have to remove those too....” “Cant you just restore her?” “Its not that easy, she....powerful magic..” “Why did you teach.....” “It will come of use to her in the......” “You never tell me anything.” “Your knowing will not stop....the future...its already been seen..” “The future is changing...” “Not this one... parts are definite...” “Raziel..what happened?” My heart beat faster, I tried to talk, but I was paralyzed. They were doing something to my wings, which felt to be spread out either side of me and propped up on something. I was laying on my stomach, on something soft. “Too much elixir. In small amounts it heals and brings strength, too much and one becomes disoriented and can have severe hallucinations.” I felt one of my feathers being pulled out and somehow found the strength to try and pull my wing away only to feel a cold numbing rush go through my body and the two Arkn, Im guessing Raphael and Raziel since I cant see them take my wings and spread them again. “Don't move, Lahabrea... Its alright. We have to remove the burned feathers before I heal your wings.” It was Raziel. “Did you calm down the guards? That Japhet had several full divisions swooping on us. Id feel really damn sorry for the Dekn if it was real.” Raphael chuckles lightly. “Raphael, I think you have some honor to restore. Lahabrea wouldn't be going through this if it wasn't for you loosing your temper, not to mention you couldn't see something was wrong, so that adds on the sin of being inattentive as well.” “I was helping her... she thought I was attacking and tried to defend herself, she made a flare and it exploded on her.” “Why was she screaming about a Dekn?” Raziel asked, extracting another ruined feather from my wing. “I guess it was something she saw.” Raphael replied. “Ill ask her when shes done, she can hear us, but I have her wings numb and her body paralyzed. “ “I'm sorry, Raziel.” “Say it to her, I'm only healing her wings once this is done, her feathers will have to grow back on their own. I'm not feeding her more magic then she needs.” Raphael sighed. “I'm done with this side, it doesn't look good, but all the damaged feathers are out.” “Same here, Her body was worse then her wings, but I've already healed her body.” I didn't have time to wonder about what they meant as my wings burst into green flames, I saw the light of it on the stone wall in front of me, blazing emerald against the otherwise dim, stone room. “I'm going to release you now, but don't try to stand, and don't flap.” Raziel said softly. I was lifted from the table, which I discovered to be the dining hall table, with more smaller tables added on to accommodate me, two piles of burned, broken and bloody feathers lay out to each side on silver platters. They laid me in a large bed in one of the guest rooms. Raziel left and Raphael got a silver bowl, filling it with cold water before sitting beside the bed, wiping my wings with the water to cool them. “I'm sorry... I shouldn't have pushed you. I swear I wasn't attacking you, I was trying to heal you... forgive me for treating you like my father treated me...” I didn't hear anything else he said as I was too far gone in my trauma and exhaustion. Category:Book of Lahabrea